From:
dr_bruce_williams
Date: 2002-02-08 10:22:00 UTC
Subject: Re: Confirmatory tests for Aleutian disease
--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., Outlaw50@a... wrote:
>Dr. Stevenson is NOT doing the
> test commercially, so please don't everyone with ADV positive
ferrets start
> sending samples to her. Please contact her first. When I talked
to her at
> the symposium, it did not sound like she needed any more samples,
but I may
> be wrong. Please, please write her before sending samples. Her e-
mail
> address is: masteven@c...
this is indeed correct. Let me hasten to add that I am not saying
that all of these tests are available for routine testing. At this
point I am saying that one or more of these tests are required to
prove a claim that an animal has Aleutian Disease
There is a prevalent misconception that a positive serology equates
with an animal having Aleutian Disease. The presence of antibodies
shows only that the animal has been exposed. The other tests are
required to show that the animal indeed has the disease.
>
> Also, something I'm sure Dr. Williams meant to mention, from what
I've
> learned, a "routine CBC and protein with analysis of the globulins"
will tell
> you if the ferret has clinical Aleutian disease, but it is not used
to test
> for antibodies (exposure to the virus), as the CIEP and ELISA are.
That is another way to say the same it (Thanks Judy).
So, once and for all - a positive serologic test means that the
animal is exposed, but it will take additional tests to show if the
animal truly has Aleutian Disease. Serologically positive animals
are certainly at high risk for development of the disease over time,
and for shedding the virus, but it does not equate with actually
having the disease itself.
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, DVM